Paddle sale

Ruby Creek is working through used sample stock to prepare for the 2011 season. All paddles here are in great shape and their good condition can be viewed in the video, where they’re shown in order as in the list below. That said, all sales are final and paddles are sold as-is. For further specs on construction and weights of these paddles please see web listings for Bending Branches, Aquabound, and Swift Paddles. Thanks.

Bending Branches wood Canoe paddles:

Arrow 56" - $45

Sun Shadow 54" - $65

Beavertail 57" - $45

Traveler 51" - $35

Twig 36" - $25

Sunburst 14 52" - $110

Espresso 14 52" - $65

BB Special 50" - $45

Viper Double Bend 54" - $95

Sun Shadow 14 50" - $65

Aquabound Canoe:

Odyssey 58" - $55

Edge 56" - $55

Bending Branches Wood Kayak:

Tailwind Evening 220cm - SOLD

Sun Shadow Bent Shaft Day 220cm - SOLD

Impression Day 220cm - SOLD

Sandpiper Evening 220cm - $85

BB Kayak:

Sunrise AL 230cm - $45

Glide SMALL SHAFT FG 220cm - $75

Glide STANDARD SHAFT FG 220cm - $75

Slice PLUS ADJUSTABLE 215-30cm - $75

Slice SMALL SHAFT 220cm - $75

Slice STANDARD SHAFT 230cm - SOLD

Aquabound Kayak:

Hammerhead kids WW 180cm - $65

4-pc. Shred WW Hybrid 196cm - $85

Shred WW Carbon 196cm - $110

Splat WW FG 196cm - $75

Sting Ray AL 220cm - $55

Manta Ray AL 220cm - $55

Manta Ray FG 220cm - $65

Sting Ray FG 230cm - $65

Sharkie kids touring 200cm - $65

Sting Ray Hybrid 220cm - $85

Eagle Ray Hybrid TLC 220cm - $85

Sting Ray Hybrid TLC 230cm - SOLD

Sting Ray Hybrid 220cm - $85

(BB Discontinued) Glide Carbon 215-30cm - SOLD

Manta Ray Carbon 220cm - $110

Sting Ray Carbon TLC - SOLD

Eagle Ray Carbon TLC 210cm - $110

(BB Discontinued) FG Breeze Evening SMALL SHAFT 220cm - $175

(BB Discontinued) FG Breeze Twilight SMALL SHAFT 220cm - $175

Spindrift FG SMALL SHAFT 220cm - $175

Surge Carbon 210cm - SOLD

Swift Kayak paddles

Mid Swift Flames 220cm - $175

Sea Swift Carbon 215cm - SOLD

Mid Swift 220cm - $175

Wind Swift 225cm - $175

Seattle Boat Show

The Big Seattle Boat Show in February featured gear from Eddyline, Emotion, Stohlquist, Aquabound/Bending Branches, Hippo Patch and Rec Repair, well represented at booths from Popeye’s Marine, LFS Marine, and Hobie Cats Northwest. If you need any evidence that things are loosening up in our economy just a bit, you need look no further than the great results these dealers had at the show. Take a look at the great variety of gear on display below.

Many thanks to Zack and the whole crew from LFS, Dean and Bedelia from Popeye’s, and Kevin and Dan from Hobie Cat NW for your hard work getting all these great brands out there.

Popeye's Marine just picked up the RecRepair and Hippo Patch products a few months ago.

Clockwise from left - Comet, Stealth, AdvantEdge and CoMotion. All got lots of interest at the show, and helped LFS make some good sales.

Stacks of Spitfires! These and all the Emotion models appealed to yachters looking for something to keep on their deck that would be easy to get on and off their boat and into the water.

Dean and Bedelia brought an Eddyline Journey and this Fathom to the show and got plenty of impressed looks... and a few sales to go with them.

Popeye's got a little jacked around by management on their display space, but they made the most of it and got plenty of merchandise in there.

I'm not sure Dean really wants to sell this ActionFish kayak. It's way too pretty to go on the water, especially with this BB Tailwind stick.

Props for the paddle crew

A year ago two top names in paddlesports came together – Bending Branches and Aqua-Bound – and they continue to inspire loyalty in their dealers and paddlers far and wide. Here’s a little feedback from our friend Peter Littler at Camp de Base in Pointe Claire, Quebec….

From: Peter Littler
Subject: Re: Camp De Base

Hello Rick,

I would like to convey my appreciation for the level of customer service that Bending Branches offers us as a retailer. The transition from Joe and the Aquabound team to Bending Branches has been seamless and business as usual in my opinion, and as you know Aquabound has always been hailed as one of the best companies to deal with in the outdoor industry.

Please pass this on to the Bending Branches/Aquabound team and thank you for all your hard work; keep it up.

Happy paddling from the Camp de Base team,

Peter Littler

Purchasing/Marketing Director

Alki transforms to M2S

Many further congrats to Greg Whittaker and the crew at Alki Kayak Tours, firmly established as Mountain to Sound Outfitters in their new retail location at 3602 SW Alaska St. in lovely West Seattle. Skis, boots, a mountain shuttle service and a tuning shop dominate the winter scene, to be replaced in Spring by Tahoe SUP, Eddyline, Emotion, Bending Branches and Stohlquist gear for the paddlin’ season. Check out the transformation in less than a month from this…

To this…

And inside from this…

To this happy holiday scene with visitors mulling over what to buy their loved ones…

The heater in back that wanted to wack you in the head…

Still works and will still wack you in the head but it takes a little effort to get back there amongst all the cool stuff…

Greg and crew are waiting to greet you!

Alki Kayak Tours to open new location!

That sign's coming down... soon to say "Mountain to Sound Outfitters"

Congratulations are due to Greg and Kara Whitaker, our friends at Alki Kayak Tours in Seattle, for taking the big plunge and opening a retail location in their home neighborhood of West Seattle, to augment the success of their beachfront rental operation on Harbor Avenue. Grand Opening is Friday, November 27th. Hope you can make it!

Psssstt.. top secret new exterior color. Won't be a secret long.

Operating under the new name of Mountain to Sound Outfitters, Greg says the shop will leverage our seasonal outdoor life in the winter as they emphasize snow sports sales, rentals, and tuning, with plenty of resources available for paddlers as well. When Spring comes, it’s full-on paddling. Come visit any time!

The new shop is at 3602 SW Alaska Street, just West of 35^th Ave SW. It’s convenient for anyone residing, visiting, or just passing through West Seattle on the way to the ferry. Evidently Greg and Kara, who are also expecting their first baby in the Spring, decided to get all the big steps in life out of the way at once.

These pictures were taken just a few weeks before the scheduled opening on November 15^th. That’s a lot of work to do, and everyone who knows anything about this operation knows it couldn’t happen without the butt-busting efforts of Alki crew like Avery, pictured here proudly dodging incoming shipments of skis, rental boots, and of course the very first kayak in the new inventory – an Emotion Glide. Good luck to this first-class bunch. You guys rock!

Dealers & Suppliers come together for planning & partying

Our host gets set to grill up some of the 30 lbs of salmon provided by Don & Pam at Boston Harbor Marina.

Planning & partying...or was it the other way around? What a time at the officially-named "Pickin' & Paddlin' Retreat", and many thanks to my bro Ethan Ebersold for putting the whole thing together. Ethan's River House on the Cowlitz, which he maintains for events just like this one, served its purpose well for 5 solid days.

Training for a crucial boater skill... the 11-person shuttle in a 5-seat Land Cruiser.

Preliminary pictures are here (click to enlarge for a better look), provided by Tom "Big T" Strauss of Emotion Kayaks. Meeting Tom was a highlight of the event -- he definitely lived up to the hype -- and he was joined by industry giants Ed Vater of Aquabound/Bending Branches; Tom & Lisa Derrer from Eddyline Kayaks/Swift Paddles; Doug Erwin of Tahoe Board Works; and Stohlquist Waterware's Jake Wisse. Ethan's dad, Mike, helped out with grilling and general hospitality; and canoe instructor/Esquif pro boater Nick Jacob filled out the host crew.

This grin never left Big T's face.

Paddlesports dealers and outfitters from all over the Northwest and California joined in the fun for some dee-lectable food, two nights of rockin' to the Moon Mountain Ramblers, paddling in the unseasonably warm fall weather on the Cowlitz, and some gittin' down to business in the Ebersold showroom, all tricked-out in the garage.

Zack and Elizabeth from Bellingham's LFS Marine find shopping for paddling gear can be pretty fun when you bring along Big T.

If you were there, thanks for coming! If you missed it, enjoy the pictures (click any pic for better detail; more to follow) and stay tuned for the next River House function.

New friends, a festive beverage, and an awesome view of the river... yeah!

Ethan proves Tahoe Boards are rock solid!

Emotion's new Mojo, rockin' the eddies on the Cowlitz. Comfy and ultra-stable, even for a big dude. The 2010 version includes the integral seat back and a tad more width and a harder chine. Check it out.

Aquabound & Bending Branches -- together at last

Every good outing has a great campfire story. Lacking any smoky ambience, Ethan memorably recreates Bill Murray and the Dalai Lama in the hotel parking lot. Wazzat got to do with paddles? You got me. Then again, you might think deep fried cheese curds are unrelated. Think again. Every fine stick from Bending Branches and Aqua-Bound comes straight to you from America's Dairyland, handcrafted in Osceola, Wisconsin.

A short trip to Wisconsin brought the Aqua-Bound family of paddles front and center for the Ruby Creek gear quiver. A year ago, Bending Branches purchased Aqua-Bound from founder Joe Matuska, and we're honored to be repping both brands now under the consolidated company banner. Two days of planning meetings culminated with seven miles of product testing on the gorgeous, mostly peaceful St Croix River dividing rural Wisconsin on the East and Minnesota on the West. Just an hour from the Twin Cities, this place is a world away from the rat race.

From BB's Whisper, at $60 an amazing light weight and durable paddle for the price, to Aqua-Bound's mainstream Ray series, to Branches' all-carbon Spirit set for transfer to the Aqua-Bound brand for 2010, to the SWEET kayak and canoe models in wood, these combined great names in paddling have it covered. In a factory tour, we met the crew who take such pride in their work that they can get your order off to your dealer in two days, over 90% of the time.

More amazing is the return rate of less than 1%. These guys make solid, safe paddles that are built to last. Ethan and I are proud and grateful to be a part of the family.


Ed and Jerry styled in a canoe, checking the sweet feel of the BB bent shaft paddles, while East Coast rep Tim Knight cruised the river with an all-carbon Spirit paddle, weighing in at 25 oz. in T-700 carbon, the tough, aircraft-grade fabric you'll see in Aqua-Bound shafts beginning next year.

Parting Shot -- The St Croix River gets a little Northwest love from Renton, WA's Cascade Canoe & Kayak.

Eddyline Demo Kayak sale

Ruby Creek Boathouse LLC is your independent rep for Eddyline in Washington State. We sell to your local dealers, and when we need to sell our demo fleet we support your dealers by selling to you through them. If you buy one of these boats, you’ll have 9% WA sales tax added and the sale will go through your closest dealer’s till.

Pickup address by appointment:

9117 Molly Lane #107

Anacortes WA 98221

Or contact me at 206-940-6269or paddlazz@comcast.net, if you’d like to meet elsewhere. A delivery fee may apply.

Here’s what I have available now. Prices on 2009 boats are 20-25% off this year’s MSRP for new boats. 2008 and older models are priced 25-30% off. All are in excellent condition and built in Burlington WA from Eddyline’s crazy-durable Carbonlite 2000 thermoformed ABS. Follow the links for details and specs on each model:

2009 Sandpiper, 12 ft, 28" beam, 38 lbs, blue, $949

2009 Journey, 15.5 ft, 24", 49 lbs, yellow, $1,799

2009 Fathom LV, 15.5 ft, 21", 47 lbs, red, $1,999

2008 Nighthawk 17.5, 17.5 ft, 24.5", 60 lbs, red, $1,899 (currently in Portland OR; transport can be arranged)

2007 Falcon S18, 18 ft, 21", 50 lbs, yellow, $1,899

2009 Whisper tandem, 18 ft, 28", 73 lbs, $2,199

We also have an excellent assortment of Stohlquist pfds and outerwear, including dry suits, Swift paddles, AND Bending Branches kayak and canoe paddles, that have been used for one season at demo show events. Please ask for a price list if you're interested.

Bill Walker

Ruby Creek Boathouse LLC

206-940-6269

Twitter RubyCreek

LinkedIn profile - click here

Drysuit repairs - click here

Representing these fine outdoor brands:

Our latest addition -- Tahoe Standup Paddle Boards

Eddyline Kayaks & Swift paddles - Stohlquist Waterware - Bending Branches paddles - Yak Grips and more from Cascade Creek - Danuu Kayak & Canoe Covers

Skwoosh Cushions & accessories - Costa del Mar sunglasses - Crescent Moon Snowshoes - CRG Rec Repair - Pakboats - Emotion Kayaks - Esquif Canoes

Spring demo season is a wrap

Eddyline's Journey was the talk of the show, wherever it went this Spring.

The past crazy month and a half was packed with six demo events all over western Washington. A little work, a whole lot of fun and a bundle of new paddlers joining the family. That's what it's all about, building the fun factor and spreading the gospel about paddling.

Getting to know my colleagues in the industry was terrific for me, having seen the retail side of the business for a few years and now feeling the sore muscles from the hard work we all put in as reps. As always, there's a good level of camaraderie between competitors and it's an awesome feeling knowing that, as I'm hoisting that last boat onto my trailer at the end of the day, there'll be someone there to help if I need them.

Late April featured Dave King's annual Symposium in Port Angeles, hosted by his shop at Olympic Raft and Kayak. Three days of paddling and three nights of music and fun. Thanks Dave, ORK staff and volunteers for showing this old demo rookie how it's done.

Alder Creek hosted their demo day at the end of April, and we got to get out the Esquif fleet for this one. Paddlers of all ages and abilities showed up at Vancouver Lake, and the weather mostly cooperated in spite of dire thunderstorm predictions. Thanks to Dave Slover for recruiting the Boy Scouts to help out!

The first weekend in May, Mitch from Popeye's and I headed to Bellingham for the WAKE demo. A nice community event, with a great turnout. Thanks for setting up this one goes to Bambi Krieg, who's also Director of WCSKS coming up in September.

The big one this Spring was as always the Puget Sound Sea Kayak Symposium in Tacoma. Amazing weather, lots of sunscreen and a huge turnout of happy paddlers and interested onlookers.

A couple weeks ago we wrapped the demo season with REI days in Seattle and Portland. Long days, but great weather and again, the economic news may be dire but maybe people want to save a little gas and use a bit of human power on the water. In any case the turnout for these events all Spring was excellent.

Now that the season is a wrap, yes we have lightly-used boats and gear from Eddyline, Stohlquist, and Bending Branches available at sweet prices. If you know what I have and you know what you want, talk to me. I will be selling the boats through your nearest dealer.

Port Angeles beach in the morning, before the crowds got all the boats wet.

In the red bandanna, Mitch, from Popeye's Marine in Everett, helped dozens of happy new paddlers get acquainted with Eddyline and Emotion boats at the WAKE demo day.

Two gorgeous days of paddling beneath Mount Rainier greeted the throngs at PSSKS.

REI's demo days in Portland and Seattle hosted nearly 1,000 visitors each.

Boston Harbor Hospitality

That is some rental fleet, eh? Boston Harbor Marina is devoted to the locally-built, insanely durable, easy to paddle Eddyline brand.

Last week I was privileged to hang out for an evening with the Boston Harbor Marina crew, plus a staff sales clinic on Eddyline, Stohlquist, and Bending Branches the following morning. Not only did everyone come out and participate with some awesome questions and comments that focused on how every guest can leave happy and eager to come back, but I spent the night sweetly dreaming on Colin's parents' sailboat at the end of the marina dock. What a way to decompress for a few peaceful hours in the midst of a pushy road trip.

Devoted exclusively to the Eddyline product line, Boston Harbor had sold a couple of the new Eddyline Journeys, and I got to be the guy who delivered the new boats. They've been in use in BHM's rental fleet already, and the model is really taking off with folks who are seeking a solid, stable ride like the Equinox, in a stylish, longer and faster boat that will remind you of the Fathom.

Many many thanks to Don, Pam, Clayann, Colin & family, and the entire BHM crew for your time, attention, and friendship. Just one more reminder why so many of us are addicted to being in this business... the amazing people we meet along the way.

I awoke to this view from the deck of the sailboat where I spent the night. Tough life.

Hank Heron, calm and cool ruler of the dock.

Weekend trip to Whidbey Island

Gray Whale in Saratoga Passage, photo from www.whidbeyislandkayaking.com

Can't believe I ran out to the Island last weekend and didn't paddle... but we were talking paddling with Ed Young at Whidbey Island Kayaking Company on the south end of the island. Curious Harbor Seal, photo from www.whidbeyislandkayaking.com

Ed signed on as a dealer with Stohlquist Waterware and Bending Branches Paddles for his upcoming summer trip season. In addition to custom destinations, he regularly guides trips from Langley along Saratoga Passage where his guests see everything from Gray Whales to Harbor Seals to Harlequin Ducks and Bald Eagles. He provides the gear so all his guests have to do is hop the ferry from the mainland, head for the put-in and jump in a boat.

Ed enthusiastically supports the Orca Network, working to protect marine mammals and their habitat. He's also on the lookout for experienced guides for the 2009 season. Check it out!